As an image forming apparatus such as a multi function peripheral (MFP) which forms an image on a recording medium, for example, a sheet, an apparatus which can perform an image forming process using an erasable toner and an erasing process of an image formed on a sheet by an erasable toner has been developed. A user forms an image on a sheet using the image forming apparatus, and erases the image on the sheet by using the apparatus after using the sheet. According to this, it is possible to reuse the sheet many times, and it is possible to reduce an amount of used sheets.
In the image forming apparatus which enables the sheet to be reusable, the erasing process is performed manually by the user. Specifically, when the user operates an operation panel of the image forming apparatus to instruct the start of the erasing process, the image forming apparatus performs the erasing process. However, when the user thinks that he wants to perform the erasing process and when the image forming apparatus is performing another process, for example, a printing process, there is a problem in that the user has to wait until the printing process is ended.